GG News Bureau
Lucknow, 23rd Sept. Both Houses of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature set aside time on Thursday for women legislators to speak, a move praised by both the ruling and opposition parties.
Following Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s opening remarks and an address by Leader of the Opposition Akhilesh Yadav in the state Assembly, the women members spoke.
From the Assembly’s gallery, women doctors, MBA students, law graduates, and girls from educational institutions watched the proceedings.
The Legislative Council also held a day-long session during which only female members spoke.
The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly has 47 female legislators, including 22 newcomers. In the 100-member Legislative Council, there are six female MLCs.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath praised the initiative, saying that suggestions from female members will help the government take concrete steps.
Following him, Leader of the Opposition and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav emphasized the importance of combating crime against women.
“Today, the largest legislature of the country is moving towards creating a new history. After 75 years of Independence, voices of half the population will reach 25 crore people of the state,” CM Yogi said, stressing that it should have been done long ago.
The CM said, this is not the first time an effort is being made to give women equal status.
“After Independence, a lot of good efforts were made in this direction. The Constitution makers had given the right to vote to men and women from the beginning. In England and many other countries, women got this right later,” he said.
On a lighter note, he stated that on most days, the voices of women members are drowned out by the din.
“If you discover any of your mistakes, apologize by holding both ears and help run the House better,” he told male members.
The chief minister emphasized his government’s plans for women, recalling their contributions during the Vedic period and their sacrifices during the freedom struggle.
“I request that women members be allowed to debate for as long as they want, and that it be published,” the chief minister added.
Speaking on the occasion, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav stated that the issues concerning women are so vast that discussing them would take several days.
“Even if we debate all sessions, they may not end,” Yadav said, thanking Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana for the initiative.
“The harshest laws have been passed in Parliament,” Yadav said of crime against women, “but the crime against women is not decreasing.”
He stated, in reference to the Hathras rape and murder case, “I have not stood up today to oppose the government. Many such incidents had taken place in our government also but when the government, society and opposition work together then these problems can be checked.”
In 2020, a 19-year-old Dalit woman was gangraped and murdered in Hathras.
With CM Adityanath listening, Yadav emphasized the importance of providing 33% reservation for women in all government jobs.
He believes that the women’s helpline 1090 should be improved, and that complaints should be accepted via email and WhatsApp. Yadav proposed establishing a cell led by the DGP to investigate crimes against women and creating an index to assess gender sensitivity.
Anupama Jaiswal, a BJP legislator, later presided over the House.
Dr Ragini of the Samajwadi Party thanked party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav for her progressive ideas. She demanded that women be given preference in all fields.
Aradhana Mishra, leader of the Congress Legislative Party, said she was inspired by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who created Bangladesh, which changed the map of the world.
The government, according to UP minister Gulab Devi, is empowering women.
The state’s women’s situation has improved since the formation of the Yogi Adityanath government, she said, listing UP government schemes.
The discussion was attended by 38 female MLAs. This includes 24 BJP women MLAs, 10 SP women, three Apna Dal (Sonelal) women, and one Congress woman.
The BJP’s Dr Manju Shiwach and Anupama Jaiswal, as well as the SP’s Syeda Khatoon, were given the opportunity to preside over the House.
The state of Uttar Pradesh is home to the country’s first woman chief minister. Sucheta Kriplani was the state chief minister from October 2, 1963 to March 13, 1967.
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